Colorado Voters Require Open Meetings for Union Bargaining

Another bright spot from the 2014 election is the addition of Colorado to the list of states that prohibit government officials from meeting secretly with union officials to set operational rules and spending priorities.

Union officials represent a private enterprise that collects dues to represent the interests of employees above all other interests in government priorities.

In some states, including Washington and Colorado, the law gives these officials a monopoly over representing groups of workers. Bargaining laws also force government to give this special interest an unprecedented power to impact decisions about accountability, service levels and the cost of government services.

A conflict of interest could occur when those union officials are also able to electioneer on behalf of those elected to boards, councils or the governor’s office that are responsible for collective bargaining.

Of the states that grant the privilege of government employee collective bargaining, 11 require some level of public observation of the negotiation process creating the union contract.

No private enterprise should have the ability to hijack government for its own special interest. The Freedom Foundation remains committed to working on government accountability and making sure that transparency can have its effect.

Colorado voters indicate that this is a very popular idea.

Here my discussion about this proposition with Ben DeGrow of Colorodo’s Independence Institute on Freedom Daily Radio here.